My experience with Mascot Books was really good! I am excited to have my book, The Story of The Can't That Could, which was released in September 2019, doing so well. I ordered 1,000 copies and needed to order an additional 2,000 just five months later. They were straight forward with the anticipated cost and clearly explained them to me so I could make educated choices of which options I needed/wanted. They presented me with examples from hundreds of illustrators and helped me find a really talented and creative one for my book. Ana Sabastian - she's awesome! One of the things unique to Mascot is that you get to own the rights to your book. This was really important to me. Also, they offer an optional marketing plan which I took full advantage of and I believe that is a big reason my book has done so well. This was the best investment I made because Mascot reached out to bloggers on my behalf and they responded by recommending my book. They reached out to bookstores like Barnes & Noble and set up book signings for me. They also provided me with all kinds of marketing materials and suggestions on "How to Sell a Crapload of Books", which I read and did as they suggested. From my first contact with Mascot Books to the book being released was just a matter of months. The whole process was smooth and I was so grateful to have the professional support staff help me along the way. I could not be more satisfied. I have met many authors while promoting my book. Some who chose Mascot and some who went with other publishers. Whenever I've come across an author not happy with their publisher, it's been because they either A) self-published, which is near impossible to market; B) went with a publisher that did not offer a marketing plan and expected them to market their book; or C) did not purchase the marketing plan Mascot offers, thinking they could do it on their own. Or their expectations were just plain unrealistic. To get your book known is not an easy task. Mascot Books opened doors for me and I know my book would not have done nearly as well had I published elsewhere. In addition, I've put in hours and hours of marketing on my own, personally following up with the leads from Mascot and took to heart the marketing suggestions Mascot made. And, my book is a really great book, if I do say so myself, with a timeless message that adopting a positive mindset is essential for success. read more

The level of support Mascot provides new authors is really amazing. I had a vision, but I lacked experience and expertise in the world of books, and that's exactly what they provided. As a result, I was able to create the very book possible from an editorial, book design, and physical al book perspective. They also created my eBook and audiobook. My process was a follows: I initially talked to a publishing consultant that helped explain the nuances of the world of book publishing, from self-publishing to traditional publishing, and options in between. I never felt that I was being sold, but instead it felt like I was being educated on options with the pros and cons of each approach, including costs/revenues clearly stated. Once I was extended and offer that I accepted, the project was assigned to a project manager that worked with an outside editor, book designer, and a book printer, keeping me informed along the way. Next, we moved onto distribution and marketing and my project was transitioned to another group within the company. There were a couple hiccups along the way, but when they arose, I felt the team at Mascot did a good job to resolve issues and keep the project moving. Marketing a book isn't easy, but they really challenged me to think about my target market and then we collectively executed a plan to reach the target market. One word of advice here: don't expect any publishing company or marketing agency/firm to do all of the marketing. It doesn't work that way. An author must be involved. Before going with Mascot, I carefully looked at other options, and checked a lot of references, but this turned out to be a great decision and experience. I recommend Mascot highly. read more

My experience with Mascot Books has been extremely disappointing. As a children's book author, I entered the process excited to work with a publisher that presented itself as supportive and professional. Unfortunately, the reality was very different. There were multiple missed deadlines, particularly regarding marketing efforts that were promised as part of the publishing process. Communication was also a major issue. Emails and questions often went unanswered for long periods of time, making it difficult to get updates or clarity about the status of my book. At one point, one of my drafts actually went missing, which was incredibly frustrating and concerning as an author who put a lot of time and effort into the project. It often felt like the priority was collecting payment rather than supporting the author or delivering on the services that were promised. While the company had no issue receiving their payment, communication slowed significantly afterward, and payments owed to me have also been slow. Publishing a children's book should be an exciting and collaborative experience, but unfortunately my experience with Mascot Books has been the opposite. Based on what I went through, this has been one of the worst professional experiences I've had, and I would strongly encourage other authors to do thorough research before choosing a publisher. read more

Overall, I had an excellent experience with Mascot, especially working with Sky and Kristin. I really appreciated their clear and streamlined process for publishing my children's book. I also felt the team they assembled delivered fantastic customer service, was quick to reply to emails, and overall was very knowledgeable and invested in both the book and my satisfaction. We had an unfortunate experience where the first illustrator basically disappeared, and Mascot quickly matched me with a new illustrator (which I think was a blessing in disguise because I am in love with the final illustrations). I'm really happy with the quality and look of the printed book. Pros: Smart and helpful team, streamlined process, enabled me to focus on the joy of writing and what I wanted the book to look like, very positive and encouraging environment. Cons: Wish the order / commission / royalty payment data was better (although this is improving), would like more marketing options, staff turnover (although they have a good process for handing projects off to new / different team members). read more

I have been very impressed with Mascot Books and enjoyed the process of publishing my first children's book with them, Just Bunny and the Great Fire Rescue. From the initial conversations, to finding me an amazing illustrator who really got my vision, to the exciting and fun editing process, they were terrific. I put a lot of pressure on them to get the book completed in time for the holidays and they delivered the book not only on time, but early. I was so thrilled. The book looks amazing. I worked with their marketing team and they helped me develop a great website and booked interviews, got reviews for me and booked several in-person events. And then the pandemic happened. Very disappointing to say the least, but not Mascot's fault. And now they are trying to get some of those events back for me which is so helpful. I worked as hard as they did for every sale, event and interview, so don't go into this process thinking you won't have to work hard to get sales and get the word out about your book. This is an expensive journey, but worth it. read more

Everyone involved in the process of making my children's book, "Bottle and Stick," a reality have been kind, friendly, and helpful! From the initial phone conversations, choosing the illustrator, emailing throughout the editing process, and working with the marketing team, everyone I interacted with seemed to want the same thing I did - a quality book that kids, teachers and parents will love to read again and again. I'm extremely happy with the final product! The marketing has been the most challenging part of the process, but that could be due to publishing in the middle of a pandemic, when in-person events and interviews weren't always possible. I plan to begin publishing my next book with Mascot, but will likely forego the marketing plan. For me, the decision to go with a hybrid publisher vs. a traditional publisher came down to investing in a literary agent (traditional) or investing in myself (hybrid). I would recommend using Mascot! read more

I published my third book with Mascot. The first was with Simon & Schuster and the second was with Da Capo. I wanted to self publish for my third and I found the absolute perfect publisher. They did an amazing job editing my book even after I had already paid to have it edited! They also did marketing for me and was so much better than what the major publishers did! They are now doing a great job selling the hard and ebook on Amazon. Enjoying the royalities! Through the whole process they responded right away and were always so helpful. This is so important when self publishing. I also store my books with them and when I need more for my fulfillment house they get it done right away! I am planning on writing a childrens book and fully intend to use Mascot. Needless to say I highly recommend them. Julie Tupler, RN read more

I stumbled across Mascot Books by chance while reading a book to my kids that one of my mother's friends had published with them. And it turned out they were fairly local to me, so I reached out with some draft text and artwork and heard back almost immediately. Now I'm on my 4th kids book with Mascot and working with Ben Simpson and Lauren Magnussen has been very smooth and easy each time. The products are top quality and a very worthwhile return on investment for this full-service hybrid publishing house. I highly recommend Ben, Lauren, and the rest of the Mascot team to anyone with an idea and goal of being a published author and/or illustrator. read more

Mascot is publishing my second children's book and both experiences have been great! They are professional, timely, kind, and extremely helpful. I recommend Mascot Books to any first time authors because they hold your hand the whole time. It's an excellent way to get familiar with the publishing process. I will say that marketing is not their strength. They were extremely helpful with kick starting the marketing process, and answering questions throughout, but if you want your book to be marketed well, you will need to work HARD and do it yourself, and/or hire a publicist. read more

I had 3 wonderful experiences with Mascot Books! When I was a first-time author, they held my hand and walked me through the entire process of publishing books, from editing my manuscript to helping me pick an illustrator. Not only was my project manager great and hands-on with me, but I also had access to their entire team of experts, including their wonderful CEO, Naren Aryal. Mascot is a great avenue for authors, as they provide you with the tools and framework necessary to succeed with publishing your book! I cannot recommend them enough! read more

I have to say, I'm in the business of creating ideas being a StandUp Comedian/Actor/Producer so to say Mascot Books made this process seamless would be an understatement! They worked tirelessly to bring my impossible idea to life and walked me through every step with some of the best staff you will find in the publishing and distribution arena! I couldn't have chosen a better company to work with and you shouldn't hesitate to give them the opportunity to make you ideas come true!!! Andre Gatling, New Author of 'Penelope's Bully' read more

I'm stunned by the terrible reviews of Mascot here. My experience with them could not have been more different. I have been consistently impressed with everything, from the quality of the design to the professionalism of the staff to their knowledge of the bookselling landscape. I suppose you can chalk it up to the fact that people are more likely to leave a review when they've had a negative experience than a positive one. My experience with Mascot has been nothing but positive. read more

I published my novel "Divorce Pool" with Mascot in January of 2021. This company made the process easy to navigate and affordable. I had always been intimidated by the publishing process, and Mascot did a great job dealing with my anxieties. Most importantly, they REALLY believed in my project. I highly recommend purchasing ANY tier of marketing with your publication. They really made the effort to get my book on as many shelves as possible. Thanks, Mascot! read more

I have had a great pleasure of getting two of my children's book published with mascot and both times I had a wonderful experience right from the production team to the CEO. They have helped me in bringing my vision of publishing children's books to life. It gives me so much joy to know that I am a published author. I would highly recommend budding authors to work with them. They are professional and so courteous. They are honest and very straightforward. read more

Choosing to publish my children's picture book with Mascot Books was one of the best decisions I have ever made. From the very first phone call to them about my manuscript, to present day has been nothing other than seamless. The staff are very supportive and knowledgeable on all aspects of the process. From editing, printing and marketing I am very happy so far. So happy, that I am in the process of publishing a 2nd book with them! read more

I had a good experience working with Mascot Books. It took a little longer than I anticipated for them to get back to me about my book idea, but once we had an agreement, things went very well and smoothly throughout the whole process. They always answered my many, many questions and responded in a timely manner. Overall my experience was a positive one. Thank you Mascot Books for helping me publish my very first children's book! read more

As a first time children's book author, I was very skeptical of the publishing industry. The entire team at Mascot Books was very prompt, patient and thorough in answering and explaining all questions. The team was also highly professional throughout the process, from the beginning editing phase, throughout illustration, to the final print and distribution. I highly recommend Mascot Books to writers of all genres! read more

I worked with Mascot Books on my book "Secrets to Becoming a Financial Badass" in 2018. I found the entire team to be knowledgable about publishing industry and invested in my project's success. At the end of the process, I had a book that far exceeded my expectations. In addition to editorial guidance, they worked with me to market and distribute the title. I am very grateful. read more

Mascot books is a great place to self publish. I've had so many great experiences with them. I've written two books with them and I plan on writing a third, this fall. I would definitely recommend Mascot books to anyone that is interested in writing a book and is in need of a good publishing company to get the ball rolling. read more